BPC’s Misztal: Iran Decertification Is Not a Policy

Thursday, October 12, 2017

Washington, D.C.– If President Trump decides not to certify that Iran is complying with the 2015 nuclear agreement it will not mean the end of the deal. But it also will not amount to a policy that serves important U.S. interests in the Middle East, Blaise Misztal, national security director at the Bipartisan Policy Center, said.

BPC today released a new issue brief, Dealing with a De-Certified Iran Deal, which offers a comprehensive look at what decertification would mean for the Iran nuclear agreement and what additional actions are needed, beyond decertification, for a sound U.S. policy on Iran.

“While there are legitimate reasons for which the president could refuse to certify the Iran deal, doing so accomplishes little by itself,” Misztal said. “What is more important is implementing a policy that addresses all the ways in which Iran threatens and undermines the significant interests the United States has in the Middle East.”

Any successful Iran policy should pursue the following basic objectives and principles:

Objectives

Tamp down on low-level cheating by Iran

Ensure full implementation of the deal

Address shortcomings of the deal

Counter Iran’s destabilizing activities

Principles

Put the onus on Iran to act responsibly

Maintain U.S. credibility

Prioritize regional stability

Lead, together with Congress

“To ensure that decertification is more than just a rhetorical flourish, President Trump should back it up with a sound argument for why the deal is not working, new policies to secure U.S. objectives, and vigorous outreach to U.S. partners,” Misztal said.